Detector-rail



(No Model.) v 0.: R. & H. JOHNSON.

' DETECTOR RAIL.

Patented Feb 7, 1888.-

M M/ZZM UNITED STATES CHARLES R. JOHNsoN,

PATENT OFFICE, V

OF ALLEGHENY, AND HENRY JOHNsON, OF PITTS- BURG, PENNSYLVA IA.

DETECTOR-RAIL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No, 377,436), dated February 7, 1888 Application filed December 2, 1886. Serial No. 220,431. (No model.)

To all whom itmcty concern Be it known that we, CHARLES R. JOHNSON, residing at Allegheny, and HENRY J oHNsoN, residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, subjects of the Queen of Great Britain, have invented or discovered certain new and useful Improvements in Detector-Rails, of which improvements the following is a specification.

In the accompanying drawings, which make part of this specification, Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of our improved detectorrail applied to a main-track rail. Fig. 2 is a detail view, on an enlarged scale, of our improved rail. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional View on the line 003%, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a view, similar to Fig. 2, of a modification of the detector-rail.

The invention herein relates to certain improvements in that class of devices which are arranged alongside of a main rail, eitherin front of or behind the switch-points, and through their connection with the switch-operating mechanism will prevent any movement of the switch-points during the passage of atrain thereover. V

' The object of the invention herein is to so construct the detector-rail, with its operating mechanism, that said rail will not be readily blocked by dirt, snow, and ice, and hence will 3O always be in readiness for use; and it is a further object of said invention to render the construction and applicability of the detectorrail as simple as possible, and thereby lessening its liability to breakage.

To theseends the invention consists in the construction and combination of parts, substantially as hereinafter described and claimed.

, In the practice of our invention the rail or strip 1, which is of a length somewhat greater 40 than the distance between the trucks of a car, orthe trucks under the adjacent ends of two adjoining cars, is riveted or otherwise se- 1 cured to.a series of plates, 2, said plates being provided with asingle or'double inclined slot, 5 3, dependent upon the movementof the de tector-raiL-i. e. whether the detector rail is constructed-to fit against the-web of the main the web of the rail. These bolts are provided main-rail before the switch-points are shifted,

given a half or a complete throwp When a single slot is used, the slot begins ata point near the lower edge of the plate and extends" upwardly at an inclination for a distance equal to the movement of the rail, the length and inclination of the slot being dependent upon the longitudinal and vertical movements required in'the rail. When the double slot is used, the portion of the slot near the lower edge of the plate is made straight, and at the ends of vthis straight portion the inclined portions extend upwardly in the directions Blocks 4, having one of their sides;

shown.

rail 5' between the head and the flange thereof, are secured to saidirnain rail, at intervals equal to thedistahce apart of the plates 2 on the rail 1, by bolts 6, passing, through the blocks and with stud-like heads 7, which project through the slots 3 in the plates 2, and serve as bearings for said plates. 1

The plate 2, nearest the switch-points or the switch-operating mechanism, isprovidedwith a-stud, '8, to which the rod, or other mechan I ism connecting the detector-rail and switch operating mechanism is attached.

In using the plates having the single slot the rail is moved up above the tread of the is held there during such shifting of thepoints, and is moved back to'normal position after the pointshave. been shifted. The double-slotted plate is used when mechanism independent of the switch-operating mechanism is used for shifting the detector-rail, and when operating switch-points the double-slotted plate is first thrown'completely over, then the switch-points are shifted and the detector- 8 5 rail returned to normalposition. These movements of thedetector-rail are in unison with the unlocking and locking of the switch mech A anism. i

It will be noticed that in the construction. of 0 rail shown the operating mechanism-4. e., the slots and studs is'so arranged 'as to be free from all liability of becoming clogged by a, series of plates each provided with an dirt, snow, or ice, and that the parts of the angular slot, and a rail or strip secured to said device are so small that their liability of breakplates, substantially as set forth.

age is reduced to a minimum. In testimony whereof we have hereunto set 1 5 5 We are aware that slotted detector-rails our hands.

mounted in a groove or recess in a railway chair are old, and hencemake no claim to such CHARLES JOHNSON HENRY JOHNSON.

construction.

We claim herein as our invention- WVitnesses: [o The combination of the main rail, a series of 4 R. H. WHITTLEsEY,

studs projecting from the web portion thereof, 0. M. CLARKE. 

